John Bright was "associated with Cobden in the Anti-Corn Law League and M.P. for Manchester from 1847-1857" (Read 113). Benedict Read also mentions this statue when talking about the "varying degrees of success" that Victorian sculptors had in the use of modern dress, suggesting that Bright's trousers are rather too "closely fitted" (169)!

[Since copyright in the photograph has been assigned to Manchester City Council, it should not be reproduced without the council's permission.]